The worst of the flooding may be over, but Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) isn’t out of the high water yet. Thunderstorms dumping more rain on the already saturated ground led to renewed flooding and another halt to air operations at FLL on April 17. The rain rendered access roads to the airport impassable.
Nearly a week after the coastal Florida city was hit by record rainfall and widespread flooding, the Fort Lauderdale airport—a major destination in itself as well as a transfer point for flights to the Caribbean and other southern cities—continues to suffer delays and cancellations due to rainy weather.
Fort Lauderdale received 25.6 inches of rain in a 12-hour period on April 12, shattering rainfall records and prompting flash flooding that inundated the airport as well as surrounding communities.
The “once in a thousand-year” flooding and tornado warnings prompted the city to declare a state of emergency and shut down operations at the airport, cancelling about 650 flights.
The shutdown stranded travelers at the airport, including local residents returning home, until April 13 when the upper terminal roadway was reopened to allow for passenger pickups. Flights at the airport didn’t resume until April 14.
Today’s ground stop at the airport was expected to be temporary, but recovery from the flooding in Fort Lauderdale is expected to take much longer. The city’s Edgewood neighborhood was inundated with two feet of flood water, for example, causing millions of dollars in damage to homes and businesses.
What Happened in Fort Lauderdale Can Become More Common Place
Experts say that climate change is making flooding like that in Fort Lauderdale more common because warm air can hold more moisture. U.S. government studies show that heavy rainfall incidents have increased 27 percent across the Southwest over the last half-century. Airports in low-lying ares, like FLL (which is less than 12 ft above sea level), may be increasingly vulnerable to flooding.
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